Quotes On Suicide In Hamlet

Hamlet recognizes that suicide is a sin in the eyes of God, so consequently wishes that he could simply cease to exist. In doubting that life is worth all the hardships one must face, Hamlet briefly relishes in the concept of death, equating it to nothing more than a sleep wherein one can be rid of the “heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks” of physical life (III.i.70). Though immediately thereafter Hamlet acknowledges the startling unknown, and the fact that one does not know what comes after death. Hamlet feels a great deal of uncertainty, which surely enhances his overall frustration. Herein lies Hamlet’s reservations in regards to committing suicide: it is a sin, and the afterlife may prove to be more unpleasant than life itself.

In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, suicide is an important and continuous theme throughout the play. Hamlet is the main character who contemplates the thought of suicide many different times throughout the play, since the murder of his father. Hamlet weighs the advantages of leaving his miserable life with the living, for possibly a better but unknown life with the dead. Hamlet seriously contemplates suicide, but decides against it, mainly because it is a mortal sin against God. Hamlet continues to say that most of humanity would commit suicide and escape the hardships of life, but do not because they are unsure of what awaits them in the after life. Hamlet throughout the play is continually tormented by his fathers death and his

Hamlet's to be or not to be soliloquy, illuminates something that crosses every human's mind, even if only for a split second; to live or die, fight or cry. Sometimes the world can get to a person, and when allowed to manifest, it can be hurtful. Suicide is a choice when things get tough, but a cowardly act. Life is precious and the only way to succeed must be to be in it; therefore, living. Suicide doesn't terminate a problem, but hides it. People will be judged sooner or later by the powers that be.

Throughout the play, Hamlet is dealing with conflict within himself. When Hamlet finds that he must take revenge on Claudius, he is unsure whether there is any point in having to kill, to take another human life, and whether he would be able to handle this. Hamlet fights inside himself. Is this right? Is this his duty? He considers suicide again, "To be or not to be, that is the question." Hamlet shows his philosophical nature, and talks himself out of the idea of suicide, fearing the unknown beyond. He is thoughtful and intelligent and not first a man of action.

Next, in one of the most famous soliloquies in the English language, Hamlet again contemplates the subject of suicide, but he does not do so on impulses of emotion. Instead, his contemplation is based on reason. “To be or not to be, that is the question: whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer outrageous fortune…or end them. To die, to sleep- no more- and by a sleep to say we end the heartache…’Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time…who would fardels bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler

In these lines Hamlet thinks of committing suicide, but realizes he would disobey God’s command. According to Andrew Foley, “Far from evincing an acceptance of death or a belief in its religious purpose, Hamlet continues instead to view life and death as sickening and pointless. Nor does Hamlet seem to have overcome the

Hamlet continuously throughout the play not only self-deprecates himself, but he also talks about committing suicide and the reasons he has for and against it. Hamlet self-deprecates for multiple reasons consisting of: Claudius killing his father, Gertrude marrying her husband’s brother after his death, his complications with Ophelia, and his very own insanity. From Hamlet’s self-deprecating tendencies, it is evident that he is not only depressed, but suicidal. Hamlet has many things going on in his life, and to him, he doesn’t know if his life is even worth living. Hamlet states, “To be or not to be? That is the question…Be all sins remembered.” (3.1.57-91), meaning that Hamlet really couldn’t care less what happens anymore. Hamlet summarizes the pros and cons to suicide, and he questions what he should do. He does this because he has changed – primarily his personality – and the events occurring around him are

Hamlets contemplation of ending his life shows an inward conflict within himself. In his first soliloquy, he debates whether he should commit suicide. "To be, or not to be- / that is the question: / whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them" (3.1. lines 64-68 Shakespeare). He questions why he should live with all of this chaos but overcomes this internal conflict because he acknowledges that in his religion suicide is a sin. “O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, / Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, / or that the everlasting had not fixed His canon 'gainst (self-slaughter). O God! God!” (1.2. lines 133-136 Shakespeare). This soliloquy signifies the reality of Hamlet s internal conflict and also shows the reality of his external conflict with the society he is surrounded by. This declamation establishes

Hamlet has a moment in which he feels respect for the life he is given, and this contradicts his first quotes which really describe his suicidal intention for an easy ending to his life, “When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause. There's the respect that makes calamity of so long life” (3, 1, 70-72), the fact that hamlet is actually a prince and to him there is way more at stake than just committing

Hamlet was so obsessed with his lack of action and the worthlessness of life that he contemplates suicide asking, "For who could bear the whips and scorns of time" ( III. i. 69-70). He believes he would be foolish to suffer through his life when he will simply be

To be completely honest, Hamlet would probably be diagnoised with some mental disorder. Medical diagnoises can infer that Hamlet might have been diagnoised with dipression in today's society. This can be understood with the death of his dad triggering his disorder. “Oh that this, too sullied flesh would melt,/ Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!/ Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d/ His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter!”(1.2.129-133). Throughout the beginning of the play, Hamlet is in a constant inner battle between taking his own life or obeying the rules of the church. He's religious upbringing forbids him to take his own life.

Additionally, in this play Suicide also plays a great role. With Hamlet questioning whether life is worth living to Ophelia going insane and commiting suicide. Hamlet’s religious and spiritual conscience do not allow him to commit suicide and his will to avenge his father’s murder without Claudius going to heaven. “A Villain kills my father, and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven” (3.3.77). Hamlet comes into consciousness and fears that he will send Claudius to heaven, thus postponing Claudius’ death.

During the Renaissance, the discovery of some of these ancient texts was a main spur for the ideas that followed the Renaissance. Most of the Renaissance intellectuals generally affirmed with the ideas of the church about suicide. In Shakespeare’s time suicide had become a paradoxical issue. On one side of the matter it carried the medieval Christian associations of shame and despair. On the other side it was seen as a noble and courageous act in the growing Renaissance tradition. In Hamlet the Christian view of suicide is best played out at Ophelia’s funeral. Her ceremony is very perfunctory and she can only be buried in consecrated grounds, grudgingly because of Ophelia’s high connections. Instead Shakespeare’s plays pity his characters problems which drive them to commit suicide and some approval for their courage. Hamlet has a reluctance to commit suicide because of his religion that he believes in. In his first soliloquy he states “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt,/ Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew,/ or that the Everlasting had not fixed/ his canon ‘gainst self slaughter.” When he states that the “Everlasting had not fixed his canon against self slaughter” he wishes that God had not made it a law to not commit suicide. Hamlet is a Christian therefore if he were to take his own life it would be a sin against God. His soul would be condemned and he does not know what would come from the afterlife. We see this best in

Hamlet also believes that people refrain from suicide since it is inconclusive whether living or dying is nobler. Hamlet has this exact thought asking, “ Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them” (III, I, 57-60). Hamlet does not know if it is nobler to continue to suffer through all that life throws your way or if it is nobler to fight and end the suffering. If it were known which was nobler it would have a major impact on Hamlet's decision around suicide (that is since he contemplated this

Although most people would consider suicide as the last resort, if that, but Hamlet on the other hand jumps to the first possible conclusion which he bases solely on his emotions. Hamlet rather than using his logic to think through his rational to commit suicide, he acts solely on his emotional impulse. This action upon emotional impulse can be seen when Hamlet stabs Polonius who was hiding behind the certain. Hamlet’s soliloquy of “To be or not to be…” elaborates on his confusion of how people can bare such large pangs and burdens all throughout life just to end up dead. Hamlet would rather end his own suffering while it had not yet become that terrible.